Responses to Albany’s Solar Turnaround
Jun 22nd, 2008 by Jervey
There’s been much deserved applause directed at Albany (or maybe long delayed gratification) for the two important solar bills that have just been passed. Some of the hands clapping:
Shaun Chapman of VoteSolar.org in Grist:
Though it is the 5th largest solar state (PDF) (as measured by cumulative installed photovoltaic capacity), there have been strong feelings among solar proponents that New York needs to play catch up in the photovolatic market. It is catching up. Fast.
Two very important bills just passed the legislature and will immediately be signed by Gov. David Patterson (D-N.Y.) who has long been a supporter of renewables.
The first is a property tax bill that would allow solar customers to receive a credit of roughly 35 percent of the cost of the solar installation over five years.
This is a really big deal. There are a lot of rooftops in Queens, and a 35 percent sale for solar is a healthy chunk of change.
Secondly, New York has changed its ancient net metering rules (a 1997 law, so in renewable energy years that’s like 80 years).
The previous rule limited net metering to 10 kW for solar, residential installations only, and 100 kW for wind and agricultural customers. It was a progressive law for a time when “MMMbop” dominated the airwaves.
The new rule: Two MW for wind and solar, 500 kW for anaerobic digesters; all customer classes can participate: Schools, businesses, municipal buildings, and churches.
Chris Neidl of Solar One and the I Heart PV campaign (who, you’ll remember, were just up there in Albany pushing for this):
Victory! Both of the I HEART PV campaign’s spring goals accomplished! NET METERING and the NYC SOLAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT to become law!
EXPANDED NET METERING and the NEW YORK CITY SOLAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT both passed in the State Assembly during this last week of the Legislative Session. The ABATEMENT passed on Tuesday June 17, and NET METERING on June 19th.
This is a big victory for solar in New York State and City. Both policies, to brought into force over the next 6 months, will help make clean energy investments more economical in the short-term, and ultimately cost-competitive with conventional sources in the next 5-10 years.
For all of you who called and wrote letters to your legislators over the past two months, thank you and congratulations! Your efforts and hard work paid off.
The victories are not the end of our work, but the beginning. With these two goals now fulfilled, the I Heart PV campaign, in partnership with a coalition of other advocacy groups and individuals throughout New York, will begin to lay the groundwork for bolder statewide solar goals, including a ‘million solar roof’ program for New York, modeled on California’s existing initiative. Stay tuned for further details . . . .
NRDC’s Nathanael Greene:
Big news today in NY with the passage of legislation that significantly expands the opportunities for distributed renewable energy. Specifically, the package of bills, which Governor Patterson has already pledged to sign, expand net metering up to 2 MW for all customer classes for solar and wind and expand net metering for farm waste digesters up to 500 kW. NRDC’s excellent Albany advocate, Rich Schrader, sent me the following insider’s overview of how we got here: (Schrader’s take after the jump, recommended for the wonkiest.)
Net metering broke through the Albany slumber this session largely for three reasons: both legislative houses had new chairs of their respective Energy committees and each brought a fresh, collaborative approach to the issue; several alternative technology business groups, including ACENY and Sun Edison, worked closely with NRDC and enviros to execute a disciplined legislative strategy; and the tumultuous oil price spikes refashioned the electric market in a matter of weeks, making solar and wind competitive products.
Sen. George Maziarz succeeded Jim Wright as Energy chair early in the session. At around the same time, Assemblymember Kevin Cahill was appointed Energy after his predecessor, Paul Tonko, left the Assembly to head NYSERDA. Both chairs wanted to pass a bill, but the rhythm of the session early on was more a cautious minuet than a tango, until energy prices drowned pretty much every else thing out.Sen. Owen Johnson, an influential Long Island Republican, passed his bill first, which allowed solar and methane technologies to net meter. Assemblyman Steve Englebright passed a four-technology bill in his house, which included solar, wind, methane and fuel cells. Our main political goal was to get as many technologies as possible in the bill without coming out of the session empty-handed. We organized a clutch of lobby days, some with enviros-only, some with solar companies, some with wind firms. More quietly, we met over a period of weeks through the spring, with a number of Western New York senators in a delegation that included NRDC and wind and solar business leaders. Between the steady political advocacy and the volatile market, senator after senator dropped their opposition. Finally, both chairs agreed to move several bills here at session’s end, which will include solar, methane and wind.